A series of 'light metal' MOFs containing SBUs based on Li + and Na + cations have been prepared using the silicon-centered linkers MexSi(p-C6H4CO2H)4-x (x = 2, 1, 0). The unipositive charge, small size, and oxophilic nature of the metal cations gives rise to some unusual and unique secondary building units (SBUs), including a 3D nodal structure built from sodium and oxygen ions when using the triacid linker (x = 1). The same linker with Li + cations generated a chiral, helical SBU, formed from achiral starting materials. 1D rod SBUs are observed for the diacid (x = 2) and tetra-acid (x = 0) linkers with both Li + and Na + cations, where the larger size of Na + compared to Li + leads to subtle differences in the constitution of the metal nodes.